Maywood, Dover Share Weekend Spotlights

POSTED Nov 13, 2013
By
Frank Cotolo

Once again this weekend we focus on the Midwest and East,
this time at Maywood on Friday, Nov. 15, and back to Dover on Sunday, Nov. 17.

Four of Maywood Park’s biggest stakes are on the same program this season. The
Windy City for soph-colt pacers, the Abe Lincoln for frosh-colt pacer, the Galt
for soph-colt trotters and the Cinderella for Soph-filly pacers are the
highlights on the Chicago-area half-mile.

Dover’s Novemberfest of stakes ensues with eight Matron Finals for two- and
three-year-olds on both gaits, leaving some soph-colt pacers out for the
upcoming Progress Pace before November ends.

Our horses-to-watch (H2W) list continues to post hot prospects for win, place,
show and exotics uses at many of the tracks TwinSpires carries loyally.

The Maywood Quartet
The $87,000 Abe Lincoln starts the stakes’ portion of the Maywood card, with
seven frosh-colt pacers unevenly spread out. That judgment is based upon the
caliber of this field, where one is still a maiden and three have only won
once. The maiden, however, is the second highest earner of the group and could
graduate here after seven seconds in 17 starts. Topping the money wagon is
Kingofthejungle, bound to be the public choice. But considering the imbalance
of talent, perhaps a price could accompany Odds On Rhodonite? The third-place
money-earner of the group this season is hard to knock against these and may
pay off.

The $110,00 Galt Stakes collected eight for the mile. After last week’s win (we
gave him to you at $25), Lindy’s Tru Grit will be bet heavily here and have a
big shot. However, King Mufasa will take some money, leaving Rossini and
Dewycolorintheline aching or bets. The latter may not be supported as strongly
as Rossini but seems to be back in shape after some miscues, which could be the
key to a big price. We like Rossini best and “Dewy” with an asterisk to win but
definitely in the exotics.

The $73,000 Cinderella Stake has seven soph-filly pacers, including a gal we
liked in the Am-Nat last week but failed. Auniqueaquisition failed in the I Luv
The Nitelife upset mile but looks good again here, with probable co-choice
Always About Katey. Third choice could be Pertty Music and she would be a fair
price if she were to follow them. She is the outside contender and our choice
here with Auniqueaquisition next.

Soph-colt pacers conclude the stakes portion of the program with the $177,000
Windy City Pace. The public will strongly endorse Lucan Hanover after that one
challenged Captaintreacherous uneventfully last week. Not living up to some
hype late in the season is Word Power but he could be trouble for “Lucan” here
and will definitely be the price to support. Lucan will be all out (he is a
half-mile world-record holder) but will most likely offer nothing for the
wager. This event is rife with outsiders winning since it became a lesser
stakes on the calendar for the glamour boys.

Magnificent Matrons

Let’s look at some possibly profitable offerings in the Matron finals in the
order of the program at Dover, Sunday, Nov. 17.

Three-year-old filly trot
Ma Chere Hall comes to this with all engines firing, shed free of Bee A
Magician and a number of other top division gals. We need an outside contender,
however, and we will take Thistle Dhu again, forgiving her poor prep last week.

Two-year-old colt pace
The Burke contingent will be hunting Mcwicked and prices will be low for any of
them to win. Stevensville, another productive Someheachsomewhere colt, could
steamroll them all at a price.

Two-year-old colt trot
Nuncio holds all the cards and attention of the bettors in this one. Well
Built, though, is peaking late and this may be her season’s best if she stays
flat and trots her bloodline speed. We would not be surprised to see her try
the top and keep it. The Muscle Hill daughter is getting better each race and
could be a fair price here.

Two-year-old filly pace
The public will spread bets out between a few in this one, so it is difficult
to call which—Tyra, Beach Body, Instant Respect or Ali Blue—may be the true
overlay. If Somethinincredible is behind them in the betting, she gets our call
because that will definitely be an overlay; she has every right to be a
contender in this one.

Two-year-old filly trot
There isn’t too much to prevent Shake It Cerry from taking it all, so you judge
her value and either pass or look for a strong exacta with some of the longer
shots.

Three-year-old colt pace
Those not attending the Progress Pace are here, mostly second stringers from
the division and a lot may happen during this mile considering the lot of them.
Certainly Vegas Vacation will be a public choice and go flying to try to get
them from beginning to end but don’t count out Emeritus Maximus, who last week,
as we predicted, woke up against Sunshine Beach. That one has some work to do
to get the better of “Vegas” and Twilight Bonfire, who may show some speed as
his tactic here. “Maximus” will be worth it for sure.

Three-year-old filly pace
Your giant favorite here, Shebestingin, can be beat. A morning line of 3-5 is
not truly deserved. A threat with a good price will be delivered by Cheyenne
Miriam. It looks like the public will ignore all she has earned this year and
the fact that her sire has been very productive. She may shine here against
fillies that her talent equals, though she has not had a chance to prove it
until now.

Three-year-old colt trot
Smilin Eli is in the good with the crowd again and after winning the elim last
week the public should invest heavily. But All Laid Out may not be done with
his season and he could show up strong as he did when he made noise the first
time with this squeaky division, and maybe at a decent price, too. Neither
should Bluto or Tirade Hanover dismissed; they could be in for a piece of it
and truly inflate the exotics.

H2W Legend

Review our choices and follow the wagering at the prescribed track. These are
possible contenders we have judged from reviewing races. The horses’ names are
listed beneath the name of the track after the date they will be racing. The
race in which they are entered (R and race number) follows. If a + is in front
of a horse’s name it means it is appearing on the list for the second (and last
time) because it failed to win the first time it appeared. An “ae” signals the
horse is entered but on the also-eligible list. Types of wagering on any of the
H2W listed horses are based on your judgment. If you have any questions, email
us at TwinSpires.

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TwinSpires' horse racing author, handicapper, and podcast host, Derek Simon of Denver, Colo. offers his insightful, humorous and sometimes controversial take on the horse racing industry. He even publishes the ROI on the picks he gives out.

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A writer and editor who has been following horse racing for fifteen years. Peter has written books for the Daily Racing Form Press; Crown; and Simon and Schuster; among other publishers, and regular features in The Horseplayer Magazine.